During the recent past, wireless communication devices including cellular telephones have transitioned from communication devices dedicated to making a wireless voice call, to multifunction devices capable of voice communications, data communications and web access. Wireless communication devices have generally become increasingly more capable, with the newer devices generally continuing to incorporate more and more functionality. However, it is not always practical to incorporate every possible feature into a device, that one or more of its many users may find beneficial to include and have be present in the device. This can be the case, where use of the feature may be infrequent, and/or the space requirements in connection with the additional features, when considered in connection to the frequency of use, may not justify a permanent presence in the device.
In some instances, a particular feature can be supported through the use of a peripheral, which can be selectively coupled to the main device as needed. By being implemented as a peripheral, as opposed to a separate stand alone device, one can leverage the processing, storage and communication capabilities of the main device, so as to more selectively implement the additional features with the device, while still leveraging the synergistic benefits associated with including the additional features as part of a coupled peripheral for use with the main device.
Incorporating the feature into a peripheral, allows those users that want to make use of the particular feature to be able to choose to acquire the peripheral. Furthermore, the peripheral and features which they support could then be alternatively separated from and correspondingly selectively paired with the device, so as to correspond to only those instances in which the features the peripheral supports are needed or desired. In at least some instances, examples of features that one or more peripherals can support include extended image capture, audio projection, power storage, and/or image projection capabilities. However a device peripheral pairing generally involves the need to be able to share data between the two elements, which can often involve a physical coupling of the two elements. When the two elements are physically coupled, various aspects of one of the elements can sometimes be brought into physical proximity to various aspects of the other element. For example, a conductor such as a flex circuit with one or more traces in one of the elements could be brought into proximity of one or more antennas, which are supporting wireless communications relative to the other element. In at least some instances, this has the potential to produce a degradation and/or a parasitic effect relative to the functioning of the antenna in support of the wireless communications. More specifically, the conductor being brought into proximity of the one or more antennas can cause an impedance detune and/or an undesired or alternative path for energy dissipation of a wireless signal.
The present inventors have recognized that the nature of any degradation and/or parasitic effect can be a function of the geometry of the conductor that is being brought into proximity of the one or more antennas. By managing the geometry of the conductor, the degradation and/or parasitic effect can be reduced and/or better controlled.